Save Our Sons Week

It's the start of a week-long effort to reduce violence and improve the quality of life in Jacksonville. It's called "Operation Save Our Sons Week"-- a series of events to help young people avoid becoming involved in crimes.

3 A major summit downtown tonight, involving everyone from State Attorney Angela Corey, to groups not happy with the state attorney's office... all meeting to discuss the moral compass of young people in Jacksonville ... Their overall goal--to cut down on crime in the city. Channel 4's Scott Johnson was at Bethel Baptist Church where the group Save Our Sons sponsored the event. Scott's joining us live. 3 3 the theme tonight was taking a look at instilling a better moral compass in young men. There were a lot of issues brought up ... looking everything from jacksonville's divorce rate to poor people losing out in the justice system while rich people often tend to have a better shot in court. 3 00-1019-2545-501'03-1'101'24- 1'30 the state attorney showed up - along with some of her harshest critics - but so many more people were also on hand discussing how to cut down on crime in jacksonville.For Patricia Brooks this is a personal discussion... she says her son was wrongly convicted of attempted murder... and she believes if he had more money... the verdict would have been different. PATRICIA BROOKS/MAD MOMS - TYRONE WELLS IS SON 18:56:17 - that's it in a nutshel. If you're poor, you don't get a fair trial. If you got money you get fair trial, and we're sick of it in duval county. sheriff john rutherford didn't just talk crime statistics ... he also talked about the breakdown of jacksonville families.JOHN RUTHERFORD 18:46:57 - START SOT HERE INSTEAD I want people to understand crime is not much about economics as it is about values.There's a lot of poor people that don't break law that never think about breaking law. It's a values issue and family issue. And we've got to get back to strong families. 73% divorce rate in our city and that doesn't contribute well to strong home life. and state attorney angela corey ... who's taken criticism for how she prosecutes young people agreed - saying families need to keep their kids out of trouble.ANGELA COREY 18:59:01 - it' that responsibility and being accountable to families and loved ones. I think if someone asked ourselves what would our parents or mentors think, it would stop half the crimes we see.another issue brought up is making sure society doesn't write off young people who commit a crime...BISHOP RUDOLPH McKissick/BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH 18:53:14 - to say they can be rehabilitated, to become programatic, to put programs in place to awaken in these young men positive thoughts. 3 Angela Corey also reminded everyone here that it's not police and prosecutors who cause people to get arrested. She says the choice to commit a crime starts before that and that's what they're trying to change in Jacksonville. Scott, a huge issue in recent weeks has been about civil citations - a mechanism to cite a first time offender instead of arresting them. Was that talked about tonight?

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